Hidden image games

ABSTRACT

A method of playing a game wherein the game has a predetermined period of time as an element of the game. Such method comprises providing a game sheet, the game sheet has a first substrate with an image surface having at least one imprinted hidden image on such surface and a second substrate with an activation surface having an activation medium thereon. The predetermined period time of the game is initiated by contacting the activation surface with the image surface to thereby contact the activation medium with the imprinted hidden image. The activation medium coacts with the imprinted hidden image to develop and reveal the image after the predetermined period of time has expired and to indicate the end of the predetermined period of time in the game.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application U.S. Serial No. 60/260,378 filed on Jan. 08, 2001, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] This invention relates to methods of playing games, e.g., parlor games, charades, using a game sheet or card having a hidden image.

[0004] 2. Prior Art

[0005] Time dependant security badges and passes are well known in the art. Generally, such badges and passes comprise a first substrate having a printed indicia thereon and a second substrate which when adhered over the first substrate activates the badge or pass causing, after a predetermined period of time, the printed indicia to develop in some manner to indicate the expiration of the badge or pass. There are numerous variations of these badges and passes and various technologies used therein. Such passes and badges are described in the following U.S. patents:

[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 6,295,252 Fixating Image in Migrating Dye Indicator

[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 6,197,396 Identification Card Strip Assembly

[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,971 Identification Card Strip and Ribbon Assembly

[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,458 Substrate with Hidden Images and Method of Making Such Images Appear

[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,369 Electronic Time Badge

[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 5,930,206 Time Indicator

[0012] U.S. Pat. No. 5,873,606 Convention Badge

[0013] U.S. Pat. No. 5,862,101 Patterned Indicators

[0014] U.S. Pat. No. 5,822,280 Long Term Rapid Color Changing Time Indicator Employing Dye Absorbing Layer

[0015] U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,354 Self-expiring Identification Band

[0016] U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,175 Visible Seal for Containers

[0017] U.S. Pat. No. 5,719,828 Patterned Indicators

[0018] U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,215 Convention Badge

[0019] U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,326 Time Indicator

[0020] U.S. Pat. No. 5,633,835 Long Term Rapid Color Changing Time Indicator

[0021] U.S. Pat. No. 5,602,804 Long Term Rapid Color Changing Time Indicator

[0022] U.S. Pat. No. 5,446,705 Time Indicator Having Discrete Adhesive

[0023] U.S. Pat. No. 5,364,132 Method for Assembly and Activation of a Reusable Security Identification Badge

[0024] U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,088 Time Indicator

[0025] U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,716 Pin Feed Badge

[0026] U.S. Pat. No. 4,779,120 Light Sensitive Validating Identification Badge System

[0027] U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,982 Light Sensitive Validating Identification Badge System

[0028] All of these patents are incorporated herein by reference.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0029] It is an object of this invention to provide a method of using game sheets that after activation develop hidden images over a period of time.

[0030] The foregoing object is achieved by the method of playing a game described and claimed herein, the game having a predetermined period of time as an element of the game. Such method comprises providing a game sheet. The game sheet has a first substrate with an image surface having at least one imprinted hidden image on such surface and a second substrate with an activation surface having an activation medium thereon. The predetermined period time of the game is initiated by contacting the activation surface with the image surface to thereby contact the activation medium with the image surface, e.g., the imprinted hidden image. The activation medium coacts with the image surface to develop and reveal the image after the predetermined period of time has expired and to indicate the end of the predetermined period of time in the game.

[0031] In another aspect of this invention, a method is provided of playing a game having a hidden image as an element of the game. Such method comprises providing a first substrate with an image surface having at least one imprinted hidden image on such surface, providing a second substrate with an activation surface, and initiating the development of the hidden image by contacting the activation surface with the image surface. The activation surface coacts with the image surface to develop and reveal the hidden image for use as an element in the game.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the following description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, of which:

[0033]FIG. 1 is an example of a game sheet having a hidden image before activation.

[0034]FIG. 2 is another example of a game sheet having a hidden image before activation.

[0035]FIG. 3 is a schematic showing a game sheet of this invention being activated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0036] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the hidden image game sheets of this invention, generally designated 10, can be printed with different chemical inks in patterns 12 that hide the image (not shown). The images and messages can be developed by a variety of physical and/or chemical methods such as light, dye migration, and heat. Such methods are exemplified by the aforementioned patents, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein be reference.

[0037] In all cases, a hidden image is printed on a card or sheet 14. Typically, the image is created by printing a pattern 12 of ink dots, each of the dots being identically colored. Such game sheets offer the ability to produce hundreds of different type games that include as an element thereof a timing element and/or hidden image, by varying the function, type, and construction of the game sheets.

[0038] The hidden image on the game cards 10 used in this invention may be printed with two identically colored inks. One ink is permanent while the second ink changes color when subjected to a specific physical and/or chemical process. After the printing of the image and before being subjected to the specific physical and/or chemical process, the random dot patterns or mezzotint patterns that form the image, hide the image or message because the colors of the inks match. When the color changing ink used to form a portion of the image changes color, its contrast with the permanent ink makes the image visible.

[0039] The hidden image game sheets 10 are used to play a game. For example, several hidden images, are printed on the game sheet 10 and used to challenge the person or group of people playing the game, i.e., a player causes the image to become visible during or after the game. For example, the person having the card might know the image and try to act it out so that it is guessed by his/her team mates before the image is exposed. The challenge can also be to answer a question, to choose a desired picture, to write your name, to spell a word, to locate a geographical place, or any other challenge task. Thus, after the challenge has been performed by each player of the game, one can have the answer revealed.

[0040] The hidden printing can produce an image, design, text, letters, or any other item that the game designer wants to have hidden. This is the basic benefit of the game sheet: 1) any type of item can be concealed in the hidden printing, and 2) there is no way of reading or seeing the answer during the game before the hidden printing is developed. No other game can completely hide the images/answers in this way.

[0041] The hidden image game uses a special printing technique that prints a random background pattern that contains the hidden image. This printing technique for printing a latent image, can produce a clear visible image by at least three physical-chemical means: 1) employing a photochromic ink as one of the two inks, 2) employing a thermochromic ink as one of the two inks, and 3) employing a migrating dye ink as one of the inks used.

[0042] In this later case, i.e., employing a migrating dye ink as one of the inks, referring to FIG. 3, a clear or transparent pressure sensitive label 16 is placed over the printed ink pattern 12 that has the latent image. The printed dots of migrating dye ink migrate into the adhesive layer of the pressure sensitive label, it produces a color change and thus, makes the hidden image visible. By proper selection of the dye and the adhesive, the time of development can be controlled. Migrating dye images can be made to appear within minutes to as long as days. This time development characteristic of the game cards 10 is an important benefit to game designers.

[0043] In the case of photochromic inks, the printing is simply exposed to light while in the case of thermochromic inks, the printing is exposed to heat. Thus, generally a method of playing a game is provided wherein the game has a predetermined period of time as an element of the game. The method comprises providing a substrate 14 with an image surface having at least one imprinted hidden image on such surface. The substrate 14 is imprinted with at least two inks of the same color, the hidden image printed with one of the inks. One of the inks is a non-photochromic ink that is inactive to light and the other ink is a photochromic ink that is active to light and changes color over a period of time when exposed to light. In this method the predetermined period time of the game is initiated by exposing the substrate to the light source. The light source coacts with the image surface to develop and reveal the image after the predetermined period of time has expired and to indicate the end of the predetermined period of time in the game. Likewise, thermochromic inks can be used and the activation accomplished by heating.

[0044] An example of a construction of a game is as follows:

[0045] A number of hidden image patterns, say five to 10 are printed in 3 inches by 3 inch patterns in different locations on a game sheet. Since the images in the hidden patterns are invisible and cannot be seen, all the printed areas look the same. For different games, the areas are printed in different positions on the sheet, along with instructions and other headline text identifying the game sheet as for children, adults, etc.

[0046] Independent of the type of game manufactured, the hidden images on each game sheet may be completely different from the images in the next sheet. Thus, each game sheet manufactured is completely different from every other individual game sheet. This not only eliminates a customer purchasing two identical game sheets, but it permits a customer to purchase many game sheets for the same party or event in order to accommodate all the people at the event. Furthermore, because the hidden images are invisible on each game sheet, the mystery and interest in all the game sheets will be heightened.

[0047] The game sheets are preferably manufactured on a digital printing press where the printing image is refreshed each revolution of the printing cylinder. Since the digital design of the game permits the printing of the dot patterns, both the permanent and the color changing inks, to vary on each cycle of the digital printing press, many types of games can be printed on simple sheets of paper. The variability is simply in the position of each of the migrating ink dots. In production, it is assumed that hundreds or thousands of hidden images will be stored in the printing press computer. During the refreshing of the digital printing cylinder, a random selection generator will select different images for each of the hidden image areas and create a complete game sheet during that particular revolution of the digital printing press cylinder. This being the case, each game sheet offers a completely unknown set of images for the game players. Until the game is actually played and the time period activated by, for example, the pressure sensitive label 16 or other means, none of the game players will be able to determine what the images or answers are for the game.

[0048] The hidden images can be printed anywhere on the game sheet. Furthermore, they can be constructed as single game cards or multiple game sheets where dozens or even hundreds of hidden images are printed on the game sheet.

[0049] It will be understood that various changes in the details, arrangements and configuration of the parts and assemblies which have been described and illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the present invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of playing a game having a predetermined period of time as an element of the game, such method comprising: providing a first substrate with an image surface having at least one imprinted hidden image on such surface; providing a second substrate with an activation surface having an activation medium thereon; initiating the predetermined period time of the game by contacting the activation surface with the image surface to thereby contact the activation medium with the image surface; whereby the activation medium coacts with the image surface to develop and reveal the image after the predetermined period of time has expired and to indicate the end of the predetermined period of time in the game.
 2. A method of playing a game having a predetermined period of time as an element of the game, such method comprising: providing a first substrate with an image surface having at least one imprinted hidden image on such surface; providing a second substrate with an activation surface having an activation medium thereon; initiating the predetermined period time of the game by contacting the activation surface with the image surface to thereby contact the activation medium with the imprinted hidden image; whereby the activation medium coacts with the imprinted hidden image to develop and reveal the image after the predetermined period of time has expired and to indicate the end of the predetermined period of time in the game.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first substrate is imprinted with at least two inks of the same color, the hidden image printed with one of the inks, wherein one ink is inactive to the activation medium and the other ink is capable of coacting with the activation medium to change color after the predetermined period of time.
 4. A method of playing a game having a predetermined period of time as an element of the game, such method comprising: providing a substrate with an image surface having at least one imprinted hidden image on such surface, wherein the substrate is imprinted with at least two inks of the same color, the hidden image printed with one of the inks, wherein one ink is a non-photochromic ink that is inactive to light and the other ink is a photochromic ink that is active to light and changes color over a period of time when exposed to light; providing a light source; initiating the predetermined period time of the game by exposing the substrate to the light source; whereby the light source coacts with the image surface to develop and reveal the image after the predetermined period of time has expired and to indicate the end of the predetermined period of time in the game.
 5. A method of playing a game having a predetermined period of time as an element of the game, such method comprising: providing a substrate with an image surface having at least one imprinted hidden image on such surface, wherein the substrate is imprinted with at least two inks of the same color, the hidden image printed with one of the inks, wherein one ink is a non-thermochromic ink that is inactive to heat and the other ink is a thermochromic ink that is active to heat and changes color over a period of time when exposed to heat; providing a heat source; initiating the predetermined period time of the game by exposing the substrate to the heat source; whereby the heat source coacts with the image surface to develop and reveal the image after the predetermined period of time has expired and to indicate the end of the predetermined period of time in the game.
 6. A method of playing a game having a hidden image as an element of the game, such method comprising: providing a first substrate with an image surface having at least one imprinted hidden image on such surface; providing a second substrate with an activation surface; initiating the development of the hidden image by contacting the activation surface with the image surface; whereby the activation surface coacts with the image surface to develop and reveal the hidden image for use as an element in the game.
 7. A method of playing a game having a hidden image as an element of the game, such method comprising: providing a substrate with an image surface having at least one imprinted hidden image on such surface, wherein the substrate is imprinted with at least two inks of the same color, the hidden image printed with one of the inks, wherein one ink is a non-photochromic ink that is inactive to light and the other ink is a photochromic ink that is active to light and changes color when exposed to light; providing a light source; initiating the development of the hidden image by exposing the substrate to the light source; whereby the light source coacts with the image surface to develop and reveal the hidden image for use as an element in the game.
 8. A method of playing a game having a hidden image as an element of the game, such method comprising: providing a substrate with an image surface having at least one imprinted hidden image on such surface, wherein the substrate is imprinted with at least two inks of the same color, the hidden image printed with one of the inks, wherein one ink is a non-thermochromic ink that is inactive to heat and the other ink is a thermochromic ink that is active to heat and changes color when exposed to heat; providing a heat source; initiating the development of the hidden image by exposing the substrate to the heat source; whereby the heat source coacts with the image surface to develop and reveal the image for use as an element in the game. 